Not for the first time in a global tournament, a South African side crashed out in the quarter-finals. South Africa were never in with a shot after Sri Lanka set them a target of 294, and their chase stuttered and stumbled to a dismal 145 against a tidy attack led by four-wicket hero Charith Jayampathi. This was a massive win for Sri Lanka, who continued to play aggressive cricket, and they will head into their semi-final clash against Australia on Wednesday an eager bunch.

The South African captain Josh Richards was left to rue his decision to field under sunny skies, despite a good start with the ball. Graham Hume struck first to send back Udara Jayasundera, looking to drive but instead feathering a catch behind, to leave Sri Lanka 20 for 1 in the seventh over, but a steadying stand followed between Bhanuka Rajapaksa and Andri Berenger. A lovely front-foot drive for four off Rabian Engelbrecht set the tone for Rajapaksa's defining innings, and he was soon welcoming Stephan Smith into the attack with a flicked pick-up four.

Berenger appeared eager to play big shots, and he fell for 24 trying to loft Smith over the infield but instead being brilliantly held by a tumbling Dale Deeb from mid-off, who ran backwards and took a falling catch. Rajapaksa farmed the strike well in between pilfering the odd boundary, some streaky and some dominant, and brought up his half-century from 48 balls with an aerial drive during a 16-run over from Kirk Wernars. He was given a life on 56 when Engelbrecht spilled a catch at backward point off Deeb, and added a further 23 to his score before Jerry Nqolo accepted a return catch.

Rumesh Buddika became Nqolo's second wicket for a well-compiled 42, and two quick wickets had opened up a window for South Africa. However, Kithuruwan Vithanage was dropped on 2 by Richards behind the stumps and on 16 by Nqolo at long-off, spilled a real sitter, and those errors proved decisive. Vithanage took boundaries off Wernars before he was let off a third time, the culprit being Colin Ackermann at backward point, and went on to contribute 45. Some good hitting fr0m Fernando, Gunathilleke and Pieris in the end got Sri Lanka to 293.

South Africa lost Dominic Hendricks early, bowled by an incutter from Jayampathi in his first over, and that set in motion a shaky chase. Smith chipped a catch back to Jayampathi in his second over, and after a 35-minute rain delay the revised target was 264 to win in 41.5 overs. As a strong wind blew across the ground, Sri Lanka's fielders suffered a bout of butterfingers, letting two sitters go in the space of five deliveries, but Jayampathi ensured those did not cost much by dismissing Ackermann for 21 and Richards for 43, both times with lovely swinging deliveries.

At 92 for 6 South Africa were down for the count and the end came soon, Nadeera Rajaguru taking the last two wickets to round off a crushing win.